Sorkin: $15 Million Film Exposes Visual Gap

Aaron Sorkin stated on Monday that the box office performance of his film, The Social Reckoning, confirmed his suspicion that he lacks the innate visual skills required for directing. The movie, which he also wrote, earned $15 million worldwide since its October 9 release. The 65-year-old screenwriter spoke during an interview for The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, recorded at the Newport Beach Film Festival where he received the Maverick Director Award.

Sorkin described the financial outcome as disappointing compared to expectations. The film, which carries a production budget of $40 million, currently holds a 54 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. This reception contrasts sharply with the critical and commercial success of The Social Network, a 2010 film about Facebook that Sorkin wrote and David Fincher directed.

The new film follows a whistleblower, played by Mikey Madison, who informs a journalist, played by Jeremy Allen White, about Facebook’s knowledge of its harmful societal effects. Jeremy Strong portrays Mark Zuckerberg in the narrative. Sorkin noted that he was the second choice to direct the project. He explained that David Fincher, who he preferred, had an exclusive deal with Netflix, while Sony owned the rights to the film.

Sorkin has been writing for 35 years, with credits including A Few Good Men, The American President, and The Social Network. He has directed four films since 2017: Molly’s Game, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Being the Ricardos, and The Social Reckoning. During the interview, he admitted that his transition behind the camera has been difficult. He said, “There’s a big part of me that feels like I just got into the movie business a few minutes ago, and that there’s so much I don’t know.”

He compared his situation to a football coach after a loss, insisting that the necessary elements were present but failed to align. Sorkin said he believes he has done certain things correctly in his directing work. He expressed hope that given another opportunity, he could successfully combine all the technical and creative components of filmmaking.

The director identified the camera as his primary challenge. He stated that working with actors was not the issue, but understanding how to use the camera artfully was. Sorkin said, “I was surprised by how little of the science of filmmaking I’d managed to absorb.” He concluded, “I have no visual sensibility, it turns out.”

Sorkin acknowledged that he learned from the directors who helmed his previous scripts, including Rob Reiner, David Fincher, Bennett Miller, Mike Nichols, and Danny Boyle. However, he felt the learning curve for directing was steeper than anticipated. He expressed concern that the specific skills he lacks are those that cannot be taught, which he defined as talent.

In the same interview, Sorkin discussed the changing economics of the film industry. He observed that his current body of work would likely consist of streaming series rather than theatrical features today. Excluding A Few Good Men, he believed none of his other screenplays would fit the current mid-range budget model for a movie.

Sorkin also addressed the potential revival of The West Wing. He said he misses the cast and the show but requires a strong story to proceed. He noted that the cast has aged since the original run. Additionally, he discussed a new production of his play A Few Good Men at Lincoln Center. He said he is rewriting the script because he was young when he originally wrote it, and he is happy to be working on the project while sober.

The film was released by Sony and featured a cast including Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, and Jeremy Strong. Sorkin’s comments come as he continues to develop his directing skills while maintaining his career as a screenwriter. He remains open to working with established directors on future projects while also pursuing his own visual voice.